BC NDP

Vancouver - The National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy today in its report on a national carbon pricing strategy recommended a cap and trade plan similar to the NDP plan, says NDP MLA Shane Simpson.

"The National Roundtable, which includes Gordon Campbell's climate change advisor Mark Jaccard, considered and rejected a carbon tax in favour of a cap and trade system," said Simpson.

"The two reasons for the Roundtable's choice are clear. A carbon tax costs our economy more and Cap and Trade is emerging as the North American choice, with support from the new American administration led by President Obama."

The NREE report notes that a carbon tax will particularly impact the BC and Alberta economies. It also states that Cap and Trade provides more emission reduction certainty than a carbon tax like BC's.

"According to the NREE report, Gordon Campbell is swimming against the tide. North America is moving towards a Cap and Trade system and BC will be the odd province out. And the irony is that the likelihood of achieving the reduction targets we need is more under a cap and trade system as we've proposed," said Simpson.

"The NREE concludes that plans like ours are more certain to reduce emissions at a lower cost to the economy. That's why they chose to recommend a national cap and trade program rather than a carbon tax."

The report is available here